Repetition Priming Affects Guessing, Not Familiarity
Author Information
Author(s): Richard J Tunney, Gordon Fernie
Primary Institution: University of Nottingham
Hypothesis
Does repetition priming influence the distinction between recollection and familiarity in memory processes?
Conclusion
The study suggests that repetition priming affects guessing responses rather than familiarity or recollection.
Supporting Evidence
- The repetition priming effect was observed only for guess responses to unstudied items.
- Experiment 2 showed that the priming effect increased unsure and guess responses but not sure responses.
- Previous studies may have inflated estimates of familiarity due to the absence of a guess response option.
Takeaway
When people guess about things they haven't seen before, repetition priming helps them guess better, but it doesn't change how they remember things they know.
Methodology
Participants made remember, know, and guess responses in Experiment 1, and sure, unsure, and guess responses in Experiment 2, following primed and unprimed target words.
Potential Biases
Participants may have reported guesses as knowing due to the absence of a guess response option in previous studies.
Limitations
The study's findings may be limited by the small effect sizes and the potential for type-2 errors.
Participant Demographics
The participants were members of the University of Nottingham community, with a mean age of 20 years in Experiment 1 and 24 years in Experiment 2.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.01
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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